U.S. Pat. No. 5,463,307 issued to the present inventor, discloses a circuit capable of controlling the power to a load having a predetermined voltage rating. The circuit includes a first terminal adapted to connect to the load and a second terminal adapted to be connected through a power switch to an alternating voltage source. This voltage source has a magnitude rated substantially in excess of the predetermined voltage rating. A switching device is serially connected between the first and second terminal. Also, a capacitive filter circuit has dual terminals separately connected to the first and second terminals. This filter can shunt from the transformer circuit transient currents, preventing inconsistent flow through the load. A timing circuit is coupled to the switching device for its periodic operation at a frequency identical to that of the alternating voltage source. The switching device is timed by the timing circuit to keep the magnitude of average voltage to the load at less than peak of the alternating voltage source, for a quarter cycle of the alternating voltage source.
Alternating current is propagated as a sine (or cos) wave. By using the methods or apparatuses disclosed in the '307 reference, only the last 90 degrees, or last ¼ of the sine wave, need be used. For the remaining 270 degrees or ¾ of the sin wave, no power need be drawn to operate a transducer (an electrical sink, such as a light bulb).
The '307 patent is hereby incorporated by reference; however, a new problem has arisen with respect to the technology. Present power meters, such as those installed in homes by power companies throughout the United States and, presumably, around the world, do not accurately measure power consumption on a circuit where only a quarter-cycle (or periodic operation) power connected to a low resistance lamp is being used. As it is difficult to implement new power systems which, even if more energy-efficient, require expansive changes to an existing electrical grid, a more cost-effective method for implementing such a change is needed.